Water Soluble

 

Water Soluble

Matthew 3:14 “But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.”

Romans 6

Romans 6:4 “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

     Doing dishes.  An event that takes a deliberate effort of will.  Not that it’s exhausting.  Great drops of sweat do not drop in the water as we labor.  It’s something about getting over the hump.  The initial water call and soap dispense seems the greatest weight of initiative.

     Anyone who has washed dishes knows the importance of dish soap.  It’s a game changer.  Hot water on its own does not cut the mustard.  No soap then no washing and they pile up more on the counter.

     So what does soap do?  Water has this great property called surface tension.  It is the characteristic that permits it to form a meniscus or the hump up feature.  See, water wants to cleave to itself more than surfaces like glass or plastic.  Hence, water resists penetration.  Soap takes that property away freeing it to seek and destroy lifting dirt away from its captors like a greasy pan.

     What did Jesus do?  He was our soap.  John’s water baptism did little but confess before everyone the person was penitent.  A confession of sin, a need for a savior, his baptism just acknowledged need.  It did very little but got people out of the house and into the Jordan.

     Jesus’ baptism was different.  We are baptized into His death, risen to new life.  John didn’t have this kind of power.  Jesus had the power to cleanse even our souls.  I like that kind of power.

     What is water?  It is nothing.  Something special about going under?  No.  No magic. Like transubstantiation, we can get off in our understanding.  That is why a man may be baptized in sand.  I’ve heard of it.  In the desert, where water was rare, believers took part in sand baptism.  A ceremony similar to foot washing.  It is a ceremony.

     Christ gives the meaning to our outward showing.  He rewards obedience.  He sticks it in our memories.  I remember my cold water baptism.  As an adult, I made that choice.  In Ames, Iowa, a Baptist church took time out of its schedule to counsel me to verify I was legit.  See, I appeared on their doorstep one day crying out for baptism.  They examined me and filled the pool especially for me.  No grand witness before the congregation because there was none present.  Perhaps on a Saturday.  I owe a lot to those men.

     Jesus takes baptism seriously.  Please listen to anyone nearing this understanding and calling.  If their urgency is imminent, then take extra effort.  Who would keep a one from such a celebration?  Baptismal on wheels.  I’ve heard of them also.  When we hit the streets, we can take the tank with us.

     Can anyone forbid a man from being clean?  Clean in conscience?  That’s what it is all about.  We obey.  He cleanses.  The water sensation only reaffirms something we feel inside.  We truly are made new.  Thank you Lord for such an experience!  Let us follow and encourage.   

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